The present invention relates generally to flexible thermal shunts for removing heat from components, and more particularly, to a flexible thermal shunt comprising flexible graphite fibers for removing heat from spacecraft components.
Although many materials and structures are available for thermal management, achieving mechanical isolation between thermally coupled components has been possible only through the use of heavy structures, such as flexible metal bellows, for example. The size and weight of such structures has severely limited design options and the present invention removes the limitations placed on such conventional thermal management approaches.
In particular, heretofore, there has been no good way to remove heat from spacecraft components without subjecting them to a mechanical load. In the past, thermal management on spacecraft has required the use of heat pipes or copper shunts which are both heavy and rigid or heavy and very intricately made to provide limited flexibility. In certain applications, such loads can create serious problems, including distorting or misaligning sensitive optical components. The present invention provides a means for overcoming these limitations.
Accordingly, it is an objective of the present invention to provide for a flexible thermal shunt that eliminates the above-mentioned problems. It is a further objective of the present invention to provide for a flexible thermal shunt comprising flexible graphite fibers for removing heat from components.